September Highlights: Forest 4.0 Sharing Insights at Key Innovation Events
September was an intensive and exciting period for the Forest 4.0 team, filled with presentations, international visibility, and the launch of new initiatives. Our experts were invited to share insights on how digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and innovative research can transform forestry and contribute to sustainable development in Lithuania and beyond.
The Forest 4.0 Centre of Excellence (CoE) kicked off a new free webinar series, “Smart Solutions for Forests.” The series is designed to bring together policymakers, foresters, forest owners, researchers, businesses, and everyone who cares about the future of forests. Participants can expect insights into advanced forestry in Lithuania, digitalisation trends, practical tools for forest inventory and data analysis, international case studies, and discussions on nature-based forestry and innovation. The first introductory webinar set the stage for open dialogue and knowledge exchange on how technology can support sustainable forest management.
The team also participated at an event organized by the Research Council of Lithuania, dedicated to exploring Innovation Perspectives for Businesses. The gathering brought together forward-looking innovation leaders from companies such as ELINTA, Blackswan Space, and Agrokoncernas Group, alongside representatives from academia and government institutions. Tomas Krilavičius, lead partner of Forest 4.0, shared his vision on the transformative potential of artificial intelligence:
“Artificial intelligence is like the new electricity or the new internet – we will need to explore and fine-tune how we can use it effectively and ethically. It will shape many areas of our daily lives, businesses, and even state governance. With Forest 4.0, we are exploring how AI can support sustainable forest management and bring innovation into the very traditional field of forestry,” said Tomas Krilavičius.
Forest 4.0 took part in the GO Furniture Meta-Cluster Hub Meeting 2025 in Tranås, Sweden - an event led by Interior Cluster Sweden, which brought together professionals from academia, cluster organisations, public authorities, and businesses to accelerate the green and digital transformation of the furniture, interior, and forestry sectors. The discussions focused on how breakthrough technologies such as AI, IoT, and blockchain are reshaping even the most traditional industries and ecosystems. The Forest 4.0 team also visited EFG headquarters and participated in the Möbelriksdagen conference, gaining valuable insights into innovation trends in the Nordic furniture and forestry industries.
The project was also showcased on the global stage at the Venice Architecture Biennale, where a symposium was hosted by the Lithuanian pavilion. Nerijus Kupstaitis, CEO of the Forest 4.0 Centre of Excellence, together with Dr. Marius Aleinikovas, Deputy Director of the Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, joined discussions on how forests, wood, and innovative research are shaping the future of sustainable architecture. Lithuania’s contribution highlighted the importance of sustainable forestry and advanced research in creating new opportunities for climate-conscious design and construction.
Finally, Tomas Krilavičius participated in the KoDi’25 conference in Šiauliai, which brought together experts in computer science, AI, ICT, cybersecurity, and digital innovation in education and business. He spoke on “Information Technology in Lithuania: Challenges and Opportunities” and presented Forest 4.0 as a practical example of how coding and digital tools can bring innovation and sustainability to forestry, connecting one of the most traditional sectors with modern technologies. More about the conference here.
These activities demonstrated the growing importance of technology and innovation for the future of forestry and highlighted Forest 4.0’s role as a bridge between cutting-edge research, digital transformation, and practical solutions. By engaging with leaders in technology, business, design, and academia across Lithuania and Europe — and by creating platforms such as the Smart Solutions for Forests webinar series — the project continues to shape the dialogue on how artificial intelligence and data-driven innovation can redefine the future of forestry and its contribution to a more sustainable world.
Forest 4.0 in Venice Architecture Biennale
Nature and architecture must work together as interconnected systems – this would help combat climate change and other ecological challenges of today, according to researchers from the Faculty of Arts at Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) Faculty of Arts, who are curating an international, interdisciplinary student symposium that invites participants to rethink ecological practices and architecture as a living system. This symposium is part of the Lithuanian pavilion at the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale, dedicated to sustainable and innovative architectural ideas from around the world.
The symposium, which takes place during this year's Venice Architecture Biennale, presents a total of eighty student works that in one way or another reflect the main theme of the Lithuanian pavilion – the relationship between trees and architecture.
Dr. Jūratė Tutlytė, curator of the Lithuanian pavilion at the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale and associate professor at the Faculty of Arts at Vytautas Magnus University, notes that although the main idea behind the pavilion draws attention to the preservation of trees, especially in cities, sustainability issues are viewed in a much broader context.
"Trees evoke certain dualistic attitudes towards them. On the one hand, they are living organisms. It is important to protect them out of respect for life and the entire natural ecosystem. After all, Lithuanian and Baltic culture has had a special relationship with trees, especially forests, since ancient times. The gifts of nature were sacred to humans. On the other hand, we have always had a very practical relationship with trees: we built with them, worked with them, and used them for heating. Therefore, when considering carbon dioxide reduction in the construction industry (which is one of the most polluting industries), we cannot ignore the possibility of using wood as a sustainable material that sequesters carbon dioxide. However, we must do so responsibly, ensuring mechanisms for balancing consumption and restoration, and carrying out consistent monitoring and supervision," notes Doc. Dr. J. Tutlytė.
As an example of such an approach, the commissioner of the Lithuanian pavilion highlights the international project Forest 4.0, initiated by Vytautas Magnus University, which has established a new competence center dedicated to forest environment monitoring and an innovative, forest-based bioeconomy in Lithuania.
Forest 4.0 participation in the Venice Architecture Biennale was organised by the VMU team Gintautas Mozgeris and Nerijus Kupstaitis. N. Kupstaitis also presented the Forest 4.0 poster in the Biennale, bringing the innovative and future oriented approach to the Lithuanian pavilion.
More about the event (in Lithuanian) here: LINK
We are kicking off a new webinar series “Smart Solutions for Forests”!
Forests are at the heart of climate resilience, biodiversity protection, and sustainable resource use. In Lithuania, as elsewhere, the forestry sector faces complex challenges: adapting to climate change, halting biodiversity loss, and finding innovative ways to manage resources responsibly. We believe these challenges cannot be solved without bold and forward-looking approaches. That is why the Forest 4.0 Centre of Excellence is launching a brand-new series of webinars dedicated to digital and smart solutions for forestry.
What makes this series special? Over the course of 10 monthly webinars, we will:
- Explore the vision of advanced forestry in Lithuania;
- Discuss the state of digitalisation in the forestry sector and future needs;
- Look at practical tools for forest inventory, data collection, storage, and analysis;
- Share international experiences and good practices;
- Talk about nature-based forestry and how technology can support it;
- Create space for dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and new ideas from participants.
Our first introductory webinar takes place on September 19, 13:00–15:00. Topic: Presentation of the FOREST 4.0 project, Centre of Excellence, and the vision of advanced forestry. Speakers: T. Krilavičius, N. Kupstaitis, G. Mozgeris. The webinar will be held in Lithuanian only.
Participation is free of charge, but registration is required: Registration link
We warmly invite policymakers, foresters, forest owners, researchers, businesses, and anyone who cares about the future of forests to join us. Together, let’s create a smarter and more sustainable forestry sector!
Forest 4.0 Strengthens Connections with European Digital Innovation Hubs
On July 14–18, representatives from Agrifood Lithuania’s Forest 4.0 and GFarm for Life projects joined colleagues from the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists for the EDIH4IAE networking mission, which focused strongly on international collaboration and digitalisation.
This mission had a twofold purpose: on one hand, Lithuanian SMEs had the chance to present their activities, gain valuable contacts, and discuss shared challenges with innovation stakeholders across Europe. On the other hand, ecosystem support organisations explored cooperation opportunities and exchanged good practices in supporting digital transformation.
“Our visit focused on exploring two distinct yet complementary innovation ecosystems: the Czech Republic and Italy. The Czech EDIHs are strongly rooted in industrial sectors, with technological strengths in high-performance computing, cybersecurity, and applications tailored to manufacturing and engineering. In contrast, Italian EDIHs emphasize AI-driven solutions for public administration, sustainable agriculture, tourism, and broader digital transformation. While their sectoral priorities differ, both ecosystems share a commitment to collaborative EU projects, technology transfer, and strengthening SME competitiveness through digital innovation,” – says Artūras Jakubavičius, Innovation Development Expert at the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists.
Beyond the opportunity to spotlight the potential of Lithuanian industrial SMEs, the mission also enabled the Agrifood Lithuania team to introduce two of its flagship initiatives: Forest 4.0 and GFarm for Life.
“Throughout our mission, we had the opportunity to present the Forest4.0 Centre of Excellence – a forward-looking initiative highlighting digital innovation in the forestry sector. By showcasing our solutions and cross-sectoral collaboration models, we emphasized Lithuania’s strengths in sustainable digital transformation and our readiness to contribute to the European innovation ecosystem. We also had an opportunity to exchange ideas on developing such centres of excellence with our Italian counterparts,” – says Inga Vyšniauskienė, Head of Communications at Agrifood Lithuania.
The week-long mission underlined the importance of cross-border collaboration in accelerating digital uptake across Europe. By connecting with leading innovation hubs and sharing best practices, Lithuanian stakeholders strengthened their role in the European digital landscape – opening new doors for cooperation, technology transfer, and future project development.
Forest 4.0 on site in Clusters Meet Regions in Cluj-Napoca!
During Clusters Meet Regions in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, on July 1–2, the Forest 4.0 project was represented by cluster leaders Anna Rosenqvist (Interior Cluster Sweden) and Kristina Šermukšnytė-Alešiūnienė (AgriFood Lithuania Cluster), who both actively participated in the conference program and strategic discussions.
In the panel “Innovation in Action – Unlocking the Potential of Clusters”, they addressed questions focused on:
- How to build trust within clusters
- The role of digital platforms and shared infrastructure in collaboration and innovation
One of Anna Rosenqvist’s quotes captured the essence of the discussion: "If we manage to collaborate and have fun, and if we live it in an altruistic way and do really collaborate, then I think that trust becomes like the engine in the business that we do."
Trust, systems thinking, and an altruistic mindset were highlighted as fundamental factors for building long-term value and innovation capacity – principles that also define the work within Forest 4.0.
Anna also participated in strategic meetings within the European network GO Furniture Meta-Cluster, which brings together 14 cluster organizations from 10 countries. The days also included discussions around establishing a Thematic Smart Specialisation Partnership (TSSP)for the furniture and interior sector – an important step in strengthening the meta-cluster’s role in the EU’s work with smart specialization and sustainable value chains.
Many of the issues discussed at the conference are central to Forest 4.0, where we are driving the green and digital transition across the entire value chain – from forest to finished product. Through collaboration between clusters, regions, academia, and industry, we are creating new conditions for a more resilient and sustainable Europe.
Next steps: All 14 member countries of the meta-cluster are invited to an international conference in Tranås on September 18–19, with the aim of sharing knowledge about the work and research being conducted within Forest 4.0 on data-driven business development – led by Arianit Kurti.
“We see that cross-sector and cross-national collaboration is crucial for creating long-term change. Forest 4.0 brings together actors who want to help shape the sustainable industrial ecosystems of the future,” says Anna Rosenqvist.
Follow for more news on the international conference, organized by GO Furniture Meta-Cluster and Interior Cluster Sweden, in collaboration with Forest 4.0.
Success of the Second Edition of EKOAgrITech
The second edition of the EKOAgrITech expo-forum was an even greater success than the first – and we were proud to have Forest 4.0 represented throughout the event. Opened by the Minister of Agriculture of Lithuania, the forum created an invaluable space to speak directly with stakeholders and people working on the ground: turning ideas into action and fostering new partnerships that move innovation forward.
This year’s event brought together innovators, researchers, practitioners, and partners from across the agriculture, food, and forestry sectors. Visitors explored up to 1,000 research fields, saw demonstrations of cutting-edge digital and precision technologies, and joined discussions focused on sharing best practices. Sustainability was not only a key topic - it was woven into how the event itself was organized.
Forest 4.0 was showcased both on the main stage and at a dedicated booth hosted by our partners at Agrifood Lithuania DIH.
"We had a fantastic opportunity to share our experience in developing a Centre of Excellence for forest innovation - both with our Lithuanian partners and our colleagues from Sweden. Together, we aim to transform forest monitoring, data collection, and analysis using cutting-edge technologies like IoT and IoS. Our goal is to unlock the value hidden in forest data and help forests adapt to the challenges of today and tomorrow," said Inga Vyšniauskienė, Head of Communications at Agrifood Lithuania DIH.
The need for innovation in forestry is more urgent than ever. Forests are expected to play a growing role in climate change mitigation, yet they are increasingly vulnerable to its effects. At the same time, diverse and sometimes competing interests must be balanced, all while the forestry workforce continues to shrink.
As the conversations at EKOAgrITech made clear, collaboration across sectors and borders is essential. We’re excited to keep building on the momentum - and to keep growing smarter, more sustainable solutions together.
Forest 4.0 team delivers multiple presentations at eLTER in Tampere
Forest 4.0 was participated at the 1st eLTER Science Conference, held in Tampere, Finland, from 23 to 27 June 2025. The event brought together researchers, stakeholders, and institutions across Europe to advance common understanding of ecosystems through a pan-European network of sites and platforms. eLTER stands for Long-Term Ecosystem Research and plays a key role in global efforts to study and protect ecosystems over extended timescales. The conference emphasized collaborative, inter- and transdisciplinary approaches, covering fields such as bio geoscience, biodiversity research, and social ecology.
Two ICP Integrated monitoring stations – Aukštaitija and Žemaitija IMS – now represent the Lithuanian eLTER network. Aukštaitija IMS serves as a cornerstone of the Forest 4.0 research infrastructure, which is actively expanding.
Forest 4.0 researchers delivered several presentations at the conference, including "Mixed coniferous hemi-boreal forest understory vegetation long-term monitoring data analysis: Similarities versus peculiarities" (presented by A. Pivoras), “Hemi-boreal forest ecosystem under the pressures of global environmental changes" (A. Augustaitis), "Single tree health monitoring using UAV-based LiDAR data" (D. Jonikavičius), “Forest 4.0 – Research Infrastructure to Support the Operationalization of Digitalization in Maintenance and Management of Forest Ecosystems" (co-authored by nearly the whole Vytautas Magnus University Forest 4.0 team).
As part of the conference program, participants visited the SMEAR II station in Finland – one of the world’s most advanced forest research facilities for studying ecosystem–atmosphere interactions. The conference provided an excellent opportunity to revisit legacy datasets, explore cutting-edge research methods, and forge new scientific collaborations.
Forest 4.0 at the Lithuanian Cluster Network Annual Meeting
In many countries, clusters play a key role in promoting economic growth, innovation, and employment. By bringing together businesses, research institutions, and other stakeholders, clusters become magnets for new technologies, skilled professionals, and investment in research and development. This collaboration not only helps reduce the cost and risk of acquiring new knowledge or technologies, but also fosters innovation, speeds up time-to-market for new products and services, and strengthens the overall competitiveness of participating members.
Clustering is also a central theme within the Forest 4.0 project - not only because several cluster organizations are members of our team, but also because one of our core goals is to establish a dedicated Lithuanian AI and IoT cluster. This cluster will serve as a foundation for implementing a Lithuanian Smart Forestry Strategy and supporting the international promotion of our Centre of Excellence.
With this vision in mind, the Forest 4.0 team from Agrifood Lithuania participated in the Lithuanian Cluster Network's annual meeting. This event brought together some of the most active clusters in the country, providing an excellent opportunity to engage with key actors in the Lithuanian cluster ecosystem and explore ways to connect this emerging Forest 4.0 cluster to broader European initiatives, such as the European Digital Innovation Hubs as well as other clusters in Lithuania as well as in the EU.
As the development of a strong cluster is one of the upcoming milestones for Forest 4.0, the meeting offered valuable insights, best practices, and networking opportunities. Learning from the experiences of other successful clusters in Lithuania is essential for shaping our approach and ensuring that the Forest 4.0 cluster can effectively support innovation, sustainability, and international collaboration in the forest sector.
If you want to keep up with our journey – follow Forest 4.0 online and never miss our news.
Hunting for New Contacts and Fresh Ideas at Elmia Wood 2025
The Forest 4.0 team has just returned from Bratteborg, where the Elmia Wood conference took place from June 5–7, 2025. Elmia Wood is the leading international business arena for innovative and sustainable forestry - a world-class demo fair held entirely in the forest. It offers a unique opportunity to test forestry machines, tools, and cutting-edge technologies in their natural environment, while also connecting with potential partners for future collaboration. It's a place where ideas take root and grow into tangible outcomes.
Over the visit to the conference, the Forest 4.0 team - represented by Tomas Krilavičius, Nerijus Kupstaitis, Gintautas Mozgeris, and Rasa Vaitkevičiūtė - engaged with forest owners, contractors, and forestry professionals from around the globe, exploring the latest trends and breakthroughs in modern forestry.
A key area of interest for the team was the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) in transforming forest management. These technologies are reshaping how forests are planned, monitored, and utilized. Exhibition visitors had the chance to explore innovations such as smart sensor systems, drones, automated logging equipment, and advanced data analytics solutions. AI and IoT are enabling more accurate forest growth forecasting, early disease detection, and optimized logistics - from harvesting to processing.
Visiting Elmia Wood is just one step in building a strong network of partnerships for the Centre of Excellence. Follow the Forest 4.0 journey to stay updated on our progress and learn more about the future of digital forestry.